]]>https://obamacare.net/el-seguro-de-atencion-medica-corto-plazo-los-pros-y-los-contras/feed/0Supreme Court Decision Is This Week. Will It Disrupt Your Health Coverage?https://obamacare.net/supreme-court-decision-week-will-disrupt-health-coverage/
https://obamacare.net/supreme-court-decision-week-will-disrupt-health-coverage/#commentsWed, 24 Jun 2015 15:13:33 +0000https://obamacare.net/?p=6397The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has provided Americans with access to quality healthcare. Now, millions of men, women and children are able to visit their choice of providers, quickly and conveniently. Prescription drug coverage has become much more affordable and manageable, as well. However, the promise of quality healthcare may be fleeting. The nation is anxiously awaiting the Supreme Court’s

]]>The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has provided Americans with access to quality healthcare. Now, millions of men, women and children are able to visit their choice of providers, quickly and conveniently. Prescription drug coverage has become much more affordable and manageable, as well. However, the promise of quality healthcare may be fleeting.

The nation is anxiously awaiting the Supreme Court’s decision on King v. Burwell, a potentially groundbreaking lawsuit. Depending on this ruling, a large number of enrollees may see their rates increase by thousands of dollars, leading to many dropping their coverage altogether. And beyond the premiums themselves, our national economy would be dealt a massive blow.

Four simple words, billions of dollars

At the heart of the King v. Burwell lawsuit is four simple words – “established by the state.” Specifically, this lawsuit will determine whether those states that didn’t establish their own government-run ACA-compliant Marketplaces should continue to receive federal tax credits (subsidies). This is a very crucial point, as these subsidies enable insurers to provide ACA enrollees with lower plan premiums.

Currently, only 13 states and the District of Columbia have state-run exchanges (also called marketplaces). Three other states do have marketplaces, but rely on the federal HealthCare.gov online market. The remaining 34 states declined to establish a marketplace, instead putting their residents’ healthcare coverage in the hands of the federal government. Should the Court rule against the plaintiffs (the president and his administration), about seven million people who enrolled through the government’s Healthcare.gov website will suddenly be forced to pay the full premiums for their plans.

According to the independent Congressional Budget Office (CBO), should the ACA be repealed, it would cause the federal deficit to skyrocket by $137 billion over the next decade. On a more personal level, this would lead to yearly premiums increasing by an average of $3,300, although some states — including Alaska, Maine, Mississippi and Wyoming — would face increases of $4,000 or more. In total, the CBO predicts that this repeal would result in 24 million people dropping their health coverage by 2020.

“Exchange enrollees are currently subsidized at a very high rate,” states Elizabeth Carpenter, director at Avalere Health, a leading healthcare advisory firm. “As a result, many individuals would likely find exchange premiums unaffordable without the tax credits provided under the law.”

While the potentially higher premiums are a big problem, the Supreme Court’s ruling could result in millions dropping coverage altogether. Generally, this would be an individual who was in generally good health, but unable to afford coverage. Studies suggest that once these enrollees leave, this would impact 2015 and beyond. As many potential and existing consumers would seek cheaper coverage, they’d have to avoid re-enrolling in their previous plans.

Studies also show that about one-third of those beneficiaries affected by the Court’s decision had employer-sponsored insurance. Yes, a number of these enrollees would be able to re-enroll in their employer’s plan. But in light of the exchanges launching in 2014, insurance companies have reported that many small employers may have stopped offering coverage. And without the cushion of the ACA’s subsidies, this will lead to millions of people having to go without coverage.

How political support of federal subsidies breaks down

Not surprisingly, a majority of beneficiaries are not in favor of the Supreme Court ruling against providing federal subsidies. As a Kaiser Family Foundation poll (below) shows, should these subsidies be removed, 63 percent of Americans say that Congress should pass a law restoring them in those states with government marketplaces. For those states without government exchanges, 55 percent of people call for the establishment of government marketplace; 32 percent say their state should not.

Want to separate myth from fact? Read our list of the top 5 lies being told in this case.

Several new state-run marketplaces may be established

However, there may be some good news in a number of states. The governors of three states – Arkansas, Delaware and Pennsylvania – have received conditional approval to establish state-based ACA marketplaces. These states already have federal ACA marketplaces in place, but in light of King v. Burwell, enrollees could drop their coverage.

Democratic governors Asa Hutchinson of Arkansas, Jack Markell of Delaware and Tom Wolf of Pennsylvania received their letters of approval from Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell. These states’ conditional approval could offer hope for other states with federal exchanges in place. Should these three states’ be granted approval for state-run marketplaces, this would ensure subsidies for about 18,000 residents in Delaware, 325,000 in Pennsylvania and more than 65,000 in Arkansas.

]]>https://obamacare.net/supreme-court-decision-week-will-disrupt-health-coverage/feed/0Special Tax Enrollment Bombs. Only 147,000 Sign Up.https://obamacare.net/special-tax-enrollment-bombs-147000-sign/
https://obamacare.net/special-tax-enrollment-bombs-147000-sign/#commentsWed, 20 May 2015 01:14:45 +0000https://obamacare.net/?p=6390Okay America, you had plenty of time to sign up for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). But still, you said you didn’t know about the penalties for not having coverage by the open enrollment deadline. So, the President and his administration set up a special enrollment period (SEP), running from March 15 to April 30. Surely, with

]]>Okay America, you had plenty of time to sign up for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). But still, you said you didn’t know about the penalties for not having coverage by the open enrollment deadline. So, the President and his administration set up a special enrollment period (SEP), running from March 15 to April 30. Surely, with this extra time, all latecomers were able to purchase 2015 health insurance coverage through the nation’s federal exchanges, right?

Well, no. It turns out that this additional six-week enrollment period was … kind of disappointing. After all of the publicity and man-hours, only about 147,000 people signed up in the 36 federal exchanges. And about 100,000 more enrolled during the extra time in other states.

How disappointing was this small pool of late enrollees to the Obama administration? The results were released on May 19, 2015, in a pretty low-key manner; through a Twitter feed (under the #ACATaxTime hashtag). Here’s the Tweet, in all its glory:

From March 15 to April 30, 147,000 consumers signed up for coverage through http://t.co/eTfU7hSMWR using the tax special enrollment period.

All but three states — Colorado, Idaho and Massachusetts — allowed their residents to sign up for late enrollment. California reported the highest number of late enrollees, 33,000 people as of April 28. And New York has yet to provide its final tally, so this number could rise. But even so, this isn’t good news for those people that failed to enroll.

However, these low numbers are also a problem for states running their own exchanges. As of early May 2015, almost half of the 17 insurance state-run Marketplaces, as well as Washington, D.C., faced financial problems. If no solutions are found, these Marketplaces may not be able to function effectively under the healthcare law.

So what could explain the low turnout for this late enrollment period? This was the first year that many consumers had to deal with the ACA’s tax implications, as well as the SEP. There’s also the thought that many people weighed paying for health coverage against paying the penalty for not doing so; apparently, a good chunk went with the penalty instead.

Hawaii’s Health Exchange at Risk

But why are these exchanges having these problems in the first place? One reason is that these states relied on federal grant money to help fund their exchanges’ development and initial maintenance. And now, this grant money is running out. Even worse, these states may not be able to use their savings. Medicare’s Inspector General has warned that utilizing these saved funds for regular operations may be illegal.

For a good example, look no further than President Obama’s home state of Hawaii. The “Aloha State,” which runs its own health insurance exchange, actually failed to sign anyone in the six-week SEP. This state received more than $200 million in federal grants to fund its exchange; it’s actually the state facing the biggest threats to its exchange.

For most of its existence, Hawaii’s exchange has faced serious problems. Just after its initial launch in Oct. 2013, technical problems closed the exchange down. Now, the lack of funding may mean a permanent shutdown. The state’s Democratic governor, David Ige, admitted that as of yet, Hawaii has no way to fund the exchange. Estimates show that about $28 million over seven year is needed, although ongoing technical malfunctions could increase this figure.

In the event that Hawaii’s exchange fails to prove that it’s workable and sustainable, the state may have to switch to a federally run exchange. But despite the funding and technical issues, the governor and healthcare experts still believe that their exchange can succeed. However, Hawaii has drawn up contingency plans for a shutdown, just in case.

Another state, Colorado, is facing problems due to mounting costs with their exchange. The state had put aside $13.6 million for their exchange’s call center, but new estimates show more than $21 million will be needed. As a result, Colorado is now considering a major hike in the per-policy fee for insurers selling on the exchange. And while this fee applies to insurers, the state’s consumers will be held responsible.

No Quick Fix for State-Run Exchanges

While these states scramble for funding and other necessities, for now, they may be stuck in limbo. These state-run exchanges could switch over to the federal exchange, and currently, Minnesota and Vermont, are considering this change. First and foremost, the Supreme Court is currently ruling on whether the federal exchanges can legally issue subsidies. As such, states are avoiding making any big decisions about their exchange before this ground-breaking ruling comes down.

And once the Supreme Court rules, the state-run exchanges could still be dealing with major problems. Should the Court rule against the administration, states that never built their own healthcare exchanges may have to do so. However, as many of these states were previously opposed to the ACA, they may not want to build their own exchanges from scratch. Plus, without the federal funding, they’ll have to pay for their exchanges on their own.

Additionally, the federal exchange is facing technical and administrative problems of its own. One big issue is how insurers receive payments of subsidies for premiums and out-of-pocket expenses. Insurers are still getting paid with an awkward, old-fashioned process, in place since January 2014. This involves health plans basically filling out monthly spreadsheets to inform the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) how much they should be receiving.

As of now, no firm date for when the automatic process will replace this older process is planned as of yet. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) states that they’re beginning to test out the automated system. The administration also announced a delay in the process of reconciling a second smaller set of subsidies paid to insurers; this delay will extend until April 2016. These subsidies reduce the out-of-pocket costs of certain lower-income Obamacare enrollees.

For the future, it doesn’t look as though ACA enrollment will be radically different in 2016. Next year, the open enrollment period will run from Nov. 1, 2015 through Jan. 31, 2016. As this is a smaller window than this year’s, many worry that potential enrollees will again fail to sign up in time. And next year, those who fail to enroll will also face higher penalties; $695 per person or 2.5 percent of household income.

]]>https://obamacare.net/special-tax-enrollment-bombs-147000-sign/feed/0CBO: Taxpayers Are Paying 20% Less for Subsideshttps://obamacare.net/cbo-taxpayers-paying-20-less-subsides/
https://obamacare.net/cbo-taxpayers-paying-20-less-subsides/#commentsWed, 18 Mar 2015 18:26:17 +0000https://obamacare.net/?p=6327According to new cost estimates developed by the Congressional Budget Office, advance premium tax credits will cost taxpayers about 20 percent less than initially projected. Subsidies, which make health insurance affordable for millions of Americans, have been the subject of debate recently as the Supreme Court considers their implementation within the context of the Affordable Care Act. Despite the legal

]]>According to new cost estimates developed by the Congressional Budget Office, advance premium tax credits will cost taxpayers about 20 percent less than initially projected. Subsidies, which make health insurance affordable for millions of Americans, have been the subject of debate recently as the Supreme Court considers their implementation within the context of the Affordable Care Act. Despite the legal challenges, subsidies remain an integral part of the ACA. Opponents of the healthcare law continue to claim that the costs associated with these tax credits outweighs their benefits. However, the price tag on the ACA continues to go down.

Reducing the Cost of Subsidies

Republicans who opposed the Affordable Care Act argued before the law was even passed that “the Congressional Budget Office was sharply underestimating the amount of money Obamacare spends.” One of the major arguments of those against the ACA centers on cost. How much would the new law cost taxpayers? Is it sustainable over the next decade? With new evidence in the form of actual enrollment numbers and nationwide healthcare spending, the CBO now projects that the ACA will cost about $600 billion less overall than they initially thought back in 2010.

Subsidies should cost American taxpayers about $849 billion over the next 10 years according to the CBO. The original estimate topped $1 trillion. Also known as advance premium tax credits, federal subsidies enable low- and medium-income Americans to pay for health insurance by reducing their monthly premiums. A recent report by the Health and Human Services Department reveals that subsidies reduce premium costs by about $1 billion per month nationwide.

Why the Price Keeps Dropping

Several factors affect the overall cost of the Affordable Care Act. For starters, the CBO initially expected that more consumers would sign up for health insurance using state or federal exchanges. They’ve since reduced their estimate to 24 million by 2025, which is one million less than originally projected. With fewer people to cover, the government doesn’t have to spend as much on the program itself or individual subsidies. Medicaid enrollment is also lower. States have the option to expand Medicaid under the ACA, but not every state is participating in the expansion. To date, there are still 17 states refusing to consider Medicaid expansion at all. Lower participation in programs like Medicaid also frees up the federal budget and reduces the burden on taxpayers.

Healthcare spending has also decreased since 2003 according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Until then, healthcare costs rose steadily and quickly. In the last decade, the percentage of annual spending has decreased from 8.6 percent in 2003 to just 3.6 percent in 2013. The decline in spending indicates that Americans are taking a more conservative approach to their healthcare, and health economists suspect that the recession plays a large role in this slowdown.

With fewer people enrolled than expected, a slower increase in annual healthcare spending and limited expansion of Medicaid, the government will not need to spend as much to support the Affordable Care Act. Still, it’s important to note that this law requires significant cost. New government programs typically depend on taxpayer support, and the ACA is no different. Those who participate in the system help to expand its reach and effectiveness in the long run.

]]>https://obamacare.net/cbo-taxpayers-paying-20-less-subsides/feed/05 Lies For the Supreme Court Case: King v Burwellhttps://obamacare.net/5-lies-supreme-court-case-king-v-burwell/
https://obamacare.net/5-lies-supreme-court-case-king-v-burwell/#commentsWed, 18 Mar 2015 18:16:40 +0000https://obamacare.net/?p=6321Since the Affordable Care Act became law in 2010, those who oppose the law have brought up several issues and legal challenges against it in an effort to undermine its implementation. While some changes have been made to the original law based on interpretations of the Supreme Court, few people continue to question the ACA’s intent. Lawmakers created the new

]]>Since the Affordable Care Act became law in 2010, those who oppose the law have brought up several issues and legal challenges against it in an effort to undermine its implementation. While some changes have been made to the original law based on interpretations of the Supreme Court, few people continue to question the ACA’s intent. Lawmakers created the new healthcare law to give people better access to affordable healthcare. One of the primary methods for doing this is through federal subsidies, which lower the cost of monthly premiums for low- to medium-income families. Now, those subsidies are being questioned by a handful of ACA opponents who feel that the law is unclear about tax credits available in state-run exchanges.

The Issue at Hand

Argued earlier this month in the Supreme Court, King v. Burwell challenges the concept of advance premium tax credits in states that use federally facilitated exchanges. The text of the law indicates to some that lawmakers intended for states to set up their own exchanges and that those states would benefit from subsidies. Opponents argue that the text of the law should be read in context with the ACA’s overall intent of affordability. Here are 5 five myths associated with the upcoming Supreme Court battle.

Myth #1: The text of the law is intentionally exclusive.
Opponents of the Affordable Care Act argue that Congress intentionally left the language of the law as a threat to the states to set up their own health insurance exchange sites. In return, those states would benefit from tax subsidies to make insurance affordable for their citizens. Wydra points out that this is a false assumption, unverified and undocumented. Instead, the text of the law is a stylized representation implying that all eligible citizens will have access to tax credits regardless of who manages their marketplace.

Myth #2: The argument centers on states vs. the federal government.
When the ACA became law, opponents felt that the federal government had overstepped its boundaries by imposing a nationwide healthcare law to be administered at the federal level. The Supreme Court has already ruled that features like Medicaid expansion should be left up to individual states. The issue now is not about states’ rights but about the rights of those with limited incomes to get help paying for health insurance. Most of the states agree that tax credits support their economies and improve their citizens’ lives.

Myth #3: Those in the healthcare industry want the law to fail.
Healthcare reform includes all aspects of the healthcare industry, including those who practice medicine, those who provide insurance and those who work in the system in any capacity. Opponents of the law assert that the healthcare industry opposes the ACA and wants it to fail so that things can return to the way they were before its implementation. This isn’t the case nationwide. Doctors, insurers, hospitals and everyone else who works in the healthcare industry recognizes the economic benefit to the ACA. The healthcare system works more efficiently with fewer sick people draining resources. The ACA allows people to get the treatments and checkups they need to stay healthy.

Myth #4: The Supreme Court could rule the ACA “unconstitutional.”
Constitutionality is not at issue in this particular case. Although the ACA has been challenged on constitutional grounds more than once since its implementation, the issue at stake is whether the law provides for tax credits in states that don’t run their own health insurance marketplaces. Wydra asserts that the Supreme Court is addressing “a narrow question of statutory interpretation” rather than the legitimacy of the law itself. If the court decides in favor of opponents, the ruling could devastate millions of people who need subsidies to buy insurance.

Myth #5: The justices have already made up their minds based on politics.
Any time the Supreme Court hears a case, people assume that the conservative and liberal justices will stick to their party lines regardless of the evidence. Fortunately, that’s not how the judicial system works. Countless examples exist of justices ruling opposite their party’s opinions, and this case should be no different. The justices will give their opinions based on the facts and evidence presented to them.

]]>https://obamacare.net/5-lies-supreme-court-case-king-v-burwell/feed/0Unbelievable: 87% of People Are Receiving Free Subsidieshttps://obamacare.net/unbelievable-87-people-receiving-free-subsidies/
https://obamacare.net/unbelievable-87-people-receiving-free-subsidies/#commentsTue, 10 Mar 2015 18:16:54 +0000https://obamacare.net/?p=6323Since the marketplaces officially opened in 2013, healthcare officials have expended a lot of energy promoting the advance premium tax credits available to consumers with limited income. Their efforts have paid off. According to a report issued by the Health and Human Services Department, about 87 percent of the people who signed up for health insurance in 2015 qualified for

]]>Since the marketplaces officially opened in 2013, healthcare officials have expended a lot of energy promoting the advance premium tax credits available to consumers with limited income. Their efforts have paid off. According to a report issued by the Health and Human Services Department, about 87 percent of the people who signed up for health insurance in 2015 qualified for subsidies. The report also notes that these subsidies are worth approximately $1 billion in savings per month for the people who use them.

The number of people using subsidies to offset the cost of insurance jumped 7 percent compared with the same period last year. Owing to increased advertising efforts and realization that tax penalties would be assessed against those without insurance, more people in general have enrolled this year than they did during the 2013-2014 season. This year, the IRS will assess a penalty against anyone who failed to sign up for health insurance in 2014. The penalty is negligible for some people, but fees will continue to increase each year and may become prohibitive in some cases.

Healthcare experts assert that advance premium tax credits are one of the major reasons to sign up for health insurance using the exchanges. These subsidies allow people with limited incomes to enroll in a policy they may not otherwise be able to afford. Available to consumers who earn between 100 and 400 percent of the federal poverty limit, advance premium tax credits can be applied partially or wholly to any marketplace plan. If consumers choose to reserve some of these funds, they’ll get the difference back when they file their annual taxes. On the federal exchange, enrollees who take advantage of subsidies to reduce their monthly premiums pay an average of $105 per month for insurance.

It’s important to note that private companies may offer better rates to consumers who don’t qualify for the subsidies. Since tax credits are only available to those who meet the income parameters, some consumers may fare better off of the exchange sites. There are also more choices beyond the government-run websites. Still, the increased number of marketplace participants indicates that the Affordable Care Act is accomplishing its mission to provide affordable health insurance options to the masses.

The most recent enrollment period ended on Feb. 15, and consumers without health insurance may face penalty fines next year. Government officials have opened up an extended sign-up period for certain people that runs until April 30. For Latio enrollment go here – Para la inscripción latina comenzar aquí.

]]>https://obamacare.net/unbelievable-87-people-receiving-free-subsidies/feed/0HHS: 11.7 Million Have Enrolled Now For 2015https://obamacare.net/hhs-11-7-million-enrolled-now-2015/
https://obamacare.net/hhs-11-7-million-enrolled-now-2015/#commentsThu, 05 Mar 2015 18:19:20 +0000https://obamacare.net/?p=6325Despite early technical problems, nationwide uncertainty and constant legal challenges, the Affordable Care Act hit another positive milestone at the close of its second open enrollment period in February. Health and Human Services Department Secretary Sylvia Burwell announced in early March that enrollment had reached 11.7 million by the time the marketplaces closed on Feb. 22. The second enrollment season

]]>Despite early technical problems, nationwide uncertainty and constant legal challenges, the Affordable Care Act hit another positive milestone at the close of its second open enrollment period in February. Health and Human Services Department Secretary Sylvia Burwell announced in early March that enrollment had reached 11.7 million by the time the marketplaces closed on Feb. 22. The second enrollment season officially ended on Feb. 15, but those who were still waiting in line via phone or website had the chance to finish up their applications through the following week.

Detailed Enrollment Figures

On Feb. 25, the Health and Human Services Department released its preliminary numbers for the final enrollment week as well as the cumulative sign-ups for the entire enrollment period. Approximately 8.8 million people signed up for health insurance policies using the federal exchange site HealthCare.gov between Nov. 15, 2014 and Feb. 22, 2015. About 12.4 million applications were submitted, and call center volume reached more than 15.3 million during the three-month enrollment period. The Spanish-language version of the federal exchange also saw promising numbers. A little more than 1.3 million people used CuidadoDeSalud.gov during open enrollment.

Earlier this year, the Congressional Budget Office projected that about 12 million people would sign up for health insurance by the end of open enrollment. While sign-ups fell just short of the CBO’s estimates, the number of consumers who enrolled in a health plan actually exceeded the government’s own projections by about three million people.

Enrollment numbers reported by the HHS include consumers who re-enrolled in an existing policy, but they don’t include sign-ups from state-run health exchange sites. In addition, consumers who don’t pay their premiums may end up getting dropped from their policies as permitted under the ACA. The current numbers reflect only raw data on enrollment and may need to be adjusted throughout the year to account for these discrepancies.

Boosting Support for the ACA

These enrollment figures represent a shift in mentality among Americans nationwide as more people jump on board the Affordable Care Act bandwagon. Though the new law was met with apprehension by some, many people throughout the United States continue to find a good reason to sign up for insurance. Affordable premiums, advance premium tax credits and a variety of plan options make signing up for health insurance easier than ever thanks to the ACA.

This year in particular, consumers will feel for the first time the financial downside of forgoing insurance altogether. The IRS is collecting the shared responsibility fee from taxpayers who didn’t sign up for coverage in 2014. Next year, the fee increases to the greater of $325 or 2 percent of a consumer’s taxable income.

For those who missed the boat on insurance this year and have been hit with the non-compliance fee, the government is extending the sign-up period for about six weeks. Consumers have between now and April 30 to enroll in a qualifying health plan through the marketplace if they qualify for the extra enrollment period. For Latio enrollment go here – Para la inscripción latina comenzar aquí.

]]>https://obamacare.net/hhs-11-7-million-enrolled-now-2015/feed/0Florida Sees Largest Number of Enrollees During 2015 OEPhttps://obamacare.net/florida-sees-largest-number-enrollees-2015-oep/
https://obamacare.net/florida-sees-largest-number-enrollees-2015-oep/#commentsTue, 24 Feb 2015 13:49:38 +0000https://obamacare.net/?p=6312The open enrollment period for the Affordable Care Act closed last week with millions of new additions to the insurance system in America. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has not yet released an official report on nationwide sign-up numbers, but officials posted on the department’s Facebook page on Feb. 18 that about 11.4 million people had signed

]]>The open enrollment period for the Affordable Care Act closed last week with millions of new additions to the insurance system in America. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has not yet released an official report on nationwide sign-up numbers, but officials posted on the department’s Facebook page on Feb. 18 that about 11.4 million people had signed up for health insurance during the second enrollment period. Given that the government expected around 9.1 million people to sign up this year, the early estimate is a mark of victory for the Obama administration and supporters of the ACA.

On top of the good news for nationwide sign-ups comes even more good news from Florida: The Sunshine State has surpassed everyone else in the country for total enrollment numbers at more than 1.6 million sign-ups this season. ACA mega-state California held the lead last year with its total enrollment numbers but trails behind Florida this year with 1.4 million enrolled. California had set high target for this year’s enrollment, but the state fell short by about 300,000 sign-ups. Despite the setbacks in California, nationwide enrollment is much higher this year than it was last year, and Florida’s impressive statistics signal faith in Obamacare.

State vs. Federal Enrollment

Experts are surprised by Florida’s high enrollment numbers for several reasons. First, Florida’s Republican leaders have done little to support the new healthcare law. In fact, many government officials in Florida have actively worked against implementation to the point that Florida is one of the states that chose not to expand Medicaid. On the other side of the country, California has taken active strides to expand Medicaid and encourage its residents to sign up for healthcare. The state also continues to push for Latino enrollment, which represents a large portion of its uninsured population, but efforts in this area have not yet proved fruitful.

California has also created its own state health insurance exchange while Florida continues to use the federal site for enrollment. Coupled with the relative size of each state, it comes as a surprise to many that Florida ousted California for the lead this year. However, the trend continues throughout the country. According to CBSNews.com, “Enrollment increased by 58 percent in the 37 states served by the federal market, compared to a 9 percent increase among state-operated exchanges such as California’s.” Most consumers have to use the federal site to sign up for ACA insurance because few states have successfully created their own exchanges.

Trouble on the Horizon

Later this year, the U.S. Supreme Court will rule on the issue of subsidies that are currently available to anyone who qualifies. The case challenges the language of the law itself, which only provides subsidies for those who sign up for insurance using a state-run exchange. If the Supreme Court rules in favor of this interpretation, then millions of consumers could be left without a means of paying for insurance. Prior to the ACA, Florida ranked third for the highest number of uninsured residents. Without access to federal subsidies, many of the state’s enrollees could not afford coverage.

Despite the legal challenges that the ACA continues to face, experts agree that the system is working for millions of Americans. Several states have opted to expand Medicaid after all, and Indiana became the most recent Republican-led state to jump on board the Medicaid expansion bandwagon. Last year, the first enrollment period struggled to take off due to technical glitches and general confusion. In 2015, consumers are more educated about their rights and responsibilities under the new law, and higher-than-anticipated enrollment numbers indicate continued success in the program.